I almost wanted to put BREAKING NEWS in that headline that for once parents made a point of lobbying their elected officials and they won one. Yesterday the Pinellas County School Board backed off its plan to make major changes in school start times in order to save money. Some elementary schools would have started an hour earlier, some as late as 9:20 a.m., which would mean working parents would have to pony up the cost of before care, about $60 a week.

I don't have a dog in this fight since my kids' schools weren't affected. My only concern all along has been how poorly the school district and even the PTAs at those schools have been in informing parents that changes were coming. Who is advocating for the parents?

Let me give you an example of my frustration. Early in the process of budget cuts, there was talk of canceling the bus at Osceola High and Thurgood Marshall Middle, both fundamental schools that offer busing unlike other fundamental schools. I can't tell you how many usually well-informed parents I ran across who had no idea they might not have a bus next year. Some of them were panicked when I told them because they had picked the school based on its bus. One mom I know works in Tampa and would have no way to run over the bridge middday to pick up her son.

About the blog

Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How are state tests being used to compare Florida schools? What's going on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.